"I'm going to be there" says footy star
June 29, 1998
Thirteen-year-old disabled Josh Rees declared: "This
is better than being in school" when sailors from HMAS NEWCASTLE carried
him aboard their ship last week.
The youngster has cerebral palsy and is generally confined to a wheelchair.
In the past this has prevented him going aboard.
But there was more in store for Josh, a Sutherland, Sydney, boy and a keen supporter of the Cronulla Sharks rugby league football team
When the Executive Officer of the ship, LCDR Brad Wheeler, rolled up the shutter of the helicopter hangar, out stepped Josh's football idol Andrew "ET" Ettinghausen and Cronulla halfback Paul Green.
Grinning from ear to ear the lad yelled: "E.T. ... I didn't expect to find you here mate."
With that ET, despite an injured back and in obvious pain, crouched down, gave the disabled teenager a hug and presented him with a "State of Origin" legaue jacket and cap.
Watching with emotion nearby was Josh's father David, a former member of the PERTH and HOBART ships' companies.
The visit by Josh, ET and Paul came through the efforts of the CO of NEWCASTLE, CMDR Howard Furness, his ccopany and Toni McLennan from the Navy Public Affairs unit in Sydney.
NEWCASTLE is well used to having disabled people aboard as her designated charity is the Hunter Orthopaedic Centre in Newcastle.
Just 24 hours before the planned trip there were doubts that the injured Shark's centre could make the trip from the Sutherland Shire to Fleet Base East.
But he told Ms McLennan: " He wants to see me. I'm going to be there."
Josh, ET and Paul were joined by Peter Luck of Channel 7's Today Tonight program.
After lengthy coverage on board the TV crew accompanied Josh home to film the football posters and souvenirs he keeps in his bedroom. Josh, who declared openly that his palsy was the result of "coming into the world before it was intended," is an intermediate grade student at the Broderick special school at Lakemba.
"I was supposed to have computer studies this morning but coming on to this ship was far better," he said.
-- By Graham Davis --
The youngster has cerebral palsy and is generally confined to a wheelchair.
In the past this has prevented him going aboard.
But there was more in store for Josh, a Sutherland, Sydney, boy and a keen supporter of the Cronulla Sharks rugby league football team
When the Executive Officer of the ship, LCDR Brad Wheeler, rolled up the shutter of the helicopter hangar, out stepped Josh's football idol Andrew "ET" Ettinghausen and Cronulla halfback Paul Green.
Grinning from ear to ear the lad yelled: "E.T. ... I didn't expect to find you here mate."
With that ET, despite an injured back and in obvious pain, crouched down, gave the disabled teenager a hug and presented him with a "State of Origin" legaue jacket and cap.
Watching with emotion nearby was Josh's father David, a former member of the PERTH and HOBART ships' companies.
The visit by Josh, ET and Paul came through the efforts of the CO of NEWCASTLE, CMDR Howard Furness, his ccopany and Toni McLennan from the Navy Public Affairs unit in Sydney.
NEWCASTLE is well used to having disabled people aboard as her designated charity is the Hunter Orthopaedic Centre in Newcastle.
Just 24 hours before the planned trip there were doubts that the injured Shark's centre could make the trip from the Sutherland Shire to Fleet Base East.
But he told Ms McLennan: " He wants to see me. I'm going to be there."
Josh, ET and Paul were joined by Peter Luck of Channel 7's Today Tonight program.
After lengthy coverage on board the TV crew accompanied Josh home to film the football posters and souvenirs he keeps in his bedroom. Josh, who declared openly that his palsy was the result of "coming into the world before it was intended," is an intermediate grade student at the Broderick special school at Lakemba.
"I was supposed to have computer studies this morning but coming on to this ship was far better," he said.
